Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第51部分

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marched　in　step　behind　him。
Now　he　knew　why　Hawke　had　not　sickened　and　died　on　the　mountains。　Now　he　knew　why　the　men　stationed　here　were　afflicted
with　headaches　and　constant　nausea。
Now　he　knew　why　there　were　so　many　flags　and　regimental　plaques　around　the　briefing　chamber。　With　these　''detox''　pills；　it　was
only　a　matter　of　time　until　the　citadel　would　need　another　garrison。
Eshara　had　sampled　one　of　the　pills；　allowing　the　chemicals　to　swill　around　his　mouth　before　spitting　them　into　an　empty　water
jug。
'Poison；'　he　declared　at　last。　'Slow…acting　to　be　sure；　and　subtle　in　its　effects；　but　poison　nonetheless。　There　are　many　chemicals
present　in　this　tablet　I　know　to　be　highly　carcinogenic。　It　is　my　guess　that　after　a　few　years　of　taking　these；　the　victim　would　be
suffering　from　one　or　more　highly　virulent　cancers。'
Leonid　was　horrified　and　stared　in　revulsion　at　the　vial　of　pills　before　the　cold　realisation　of　how　long　he　had　been　taking　them
struck　him。　'How　virulent？'　he　whispered。
Eshara　frowned。　'Debilitating　after　maybe　six　or　seven　years　and　fatal　soon　after　that。'
Leonid　was　speechless　with　rage。　The　magnitude　of　the　betrayal　was　unbelievable。　That　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　could　have
perpetuated　such　a　lie　upon　their　own　people　was　staggering。　Thinking　of　the　hundreds　of　regimental　flags　in　the　briefing
chamber；　he　tried　to　calculate　how　many　men　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　had　murdered；　but　gave　up；　appalled；　as　the　numbers
spiralled　into　the　millions。
'Why　would　they　do　such　a　thing？'
'I　do　not　know。　What　is　it　that　this　citadel　defends？　Is　it　so　valuable　that　not　even　its　defenders　can　be　allowed　to　tell　what　they
know？'
Leonid　shook　his　head。　'No；　well；　maybe；　I　don't　know　for　sure。　As　far　as　I　know；　this　place　is　some　sort　of　way…station　for　xeno
artefacts　discovered　in　the　sector。　I　was　told　that　the　facility　was　built　upon　a　ruin　from　the　Dark　Age　of　Technology—'
'Again；　I　feel　you　have　been　misled。　I　do　not　believe　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　would　stoop　to　such　base　behaviour　simply　to
protect　recovered　xeno　artefacts。　There　is　a　secret　hidden　within　this　citadel　that　is　worth　the　life　of　every　man　who　serves　here。'
Leonid　vowed　he　would　find　out　what　that　secret　was；　even　if　he　had　to　wring　Naicin's　neck　or　threaten　to　put　a　las…bolt　through
whatever　machine　kept　the　remains　of　Amaethon　alive。　It　might　already　be　too　late　for　the　383rd　Jouran　Dragoons；　but　Leonid
would　make　damn　sure　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　were　made　to　pay　for　their　crimes。
Several　corridors　branched　off　the　main　one；　but　Leonid　unerringly　followed　the　path　towards　the　Machine　Temple。
'Someone　is　ahead　of　us；'　whispered　Eshara；　drawing　and　cocking　his　bolt　pistol。
Leonid　followed　suit　as　his　honour　guard　raised　their　rifles　and　moved　to　surround　him。
The　armed　party　rounded　a　bend　in　the　corridor　as　it　widened　into　a　vaulted　chamber；　with　latticed　iron　girders　lacing　above　them
to　form　a　web…like　dome。　Glow…globes　floated　in　suspensor　fields；　the　walls　were　inscribed　with　cog　symbols　and　all　manner　of
metal　crates　and　bulky　machines　lay　scattered　around　the　room。　Worker　servitors　and　indentured　labourers　moved　mechanically
around　the　wide　room；　oblivious　to　the　goings　on　around　them。
At　the　far　end　of　the　chamber；　a　wide；　semicircular　cog…toothed　door　sat　half　open；　a　small　group　of　people　clustered　around　it。
Leonid　immediately　recognised　Magos　Naicin　and　the　ungainly　form　of　two　Praetorian　battle…servitors。　Servitors　were　surgically
altered　slaves　utilised　by　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　for　a　variety　of　manual　tasks。　Praetorians　fulfilled　the　adepts　need　for　heavy
defence；　featuring　an　augmented　slave　body　atop　a　mechanised　track　unit；　with　a　variety　of　lethal　weapon　combinations　implanted
in　the　servitors'　arms。
The　last　figure　was　unknown　to　Leonid；　but　he　was　astonished　at　the　hideous　bulk　of　the　man　that　not　even　his　shapeless　robes
could　conceal。　His　skin　was　the　colour　of　black　steel；　his　face　more　dead　than　alive。
Naicin　saw　them　coming　and　darted　through　the　door；　dragging　the　enormous　robed　figure　after　him。
Leonid　growled　in　anger　and　set　off　towards　the　closing　door　as　the　two　battle…servitors　rumbled　forwards。　Leonid　was　too　intent
on　the　door　to　pay　them　any　heed。　Nothing　would　prevent　him　from　reaching　Naicin　and　killing　him。
The　first　Praetorian　raised　its　weapon　arms　as　Leonid's　honour　guard　rushed　after　him；　realising　his　danger。　The　fastest　man　of　the
team　dived　for　his　commander；　knocking　him　to　the　ground　as　the　Praetorian　opened　fire；　the　rhythmic　thumping　of　a　massive
bolter　filling　the　chamber　as　it　hosed　the　chamber　with　shells。
The　shells　passed　over　Leonid；　but　the　men　behind　were　not　so　lucky。　Three　were　thrown　back；　huge　holes　blasted　in　their　chests。
Leonid　and　his　rescuer　rolled　into　the　cover　offered　by　a　huge　tracked　drilling　rig　as　more　shots　filled　the　chamber；　heavier　auto
cannon　shells　blasting　metal　chunks　from　the　machine。
A　flurry　of　las…blasts　struck　the　Praetorian；　which　rocked　back；　bloody　craters　torn　across　its　body。　The　battle…servitor　didn't　slow；
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
it　merely　adjusted　its　aim　and　ripped　apart　yet　more　of　Leonid's　guard　with　deadly　accurate　gunfire；　bullets　spewing　from　the　gun
at　a　furious　rate。
The　man　who'd　saved　Leonid's　life　spun　from　the　cover　of　the　drilling　rig；　taking　careful　aim　at　the　Praetorian's　head。　He　dropped
as　he　was　struck　in　the　head　and　chest；　blown　apart　by　the　mass　reactive　bolter　shells　as　they　detonated　within　his　flesh。
Leonid　scrambled　away　as　the　heavy　bolter　and　auto　cannon　began　tearing　up　the　chamber。　Glass；　plastic　and　blood　erupted　all
around；　showering　them　with　sparks　as　soldiers　and　worker…servitors　went　down；　panels　and　glow…globes　shattering。
The　lobotomised　worker…servitors　were　not　programmed　to　react　to　such　external　stimuli　and　continued　working　at　their　posts。
They　died　silently　as　the　Praetorians　walked　the　shells　into　them；　raking　their　fire　left　and　right；　servo　assisted　muscles　easily
absorbing　their　guns'　huge　recoil。
Emergency　lights　flickered　on　as　fluorescent　panels　were　shot　out　and　Leonid　slithered　towards　Eshara；　who　had　drawn　his
crackling　power　sword。
Human　workers　scrambled　to　disconnect　themselves　from　their　stations　and　seek　shelter　as　the　battle…servitors　slowly　advanced
towards　them。　One　dropped　to　his　knees；　begging　for　mercy。
The　Praetorian　shot　him　in　the　face。
The　rest　died　in　three　controlled　bursts　of　fire。
Leonid　surged　from　behind　the　drilling　rig　as　the　wounded　Praetorian　finished　the　slaughter　of　the　technicians。　He　squeezed　off
two　rounds　and　the　servitor　staggered；　two　massive　holes　blasted　in　its　skull。　It　raised　the　heavy　bolter　and　fired　as　Leonid's　third
shot　took　it　in　the　throat；　blowing　its　head　clean　off。
It　fell　backwards；　firing　the　gun　as　it　toppled；　stitching　a　line　of　bullets　towards　Leonid　and　clipping　his　shoulder。　He　yelled　in
pain；　the　impact　spinning　him　to　the　floor。
The　second　Praetorian　trained　its　auto　cannons　on　Leonid；　the　firing　mechanisms　whining　as　they　built　up　speed　to　fire。
Before　it　could　shoot；　Eshara　leapt　from　the　cover　of　the　crate　and　slashed　his　sword　through　the　barrels　in　a　bright　explosion　of
sparks。　He　spun　on　his　heel；　hammering　his　elbow　into　the　battle…servitor's　face　and　smashing　its　skull　from　its　shoulders　in　a
welter　of　blood。　His　reverse　stroke　hacked　the　organic　top　half　of　the　Praetorian's　body　from　the　track　unit。　The　whine　of　its
weapons　motor　sputtered　and　died。
Leonid　picked　himself　up　from　the　ground；　clutching　his　wounded　shoulder；　and　nodded　his　thanks　to　Eshara　before　turning　the
closed　door　behind　which　Naicin　and　his　unknown　accomplice　had　vanished。
'Damn！'　he　swore。　'How　in　the　name　of　Joura　are　we　going　to　get　through　that？'
Eshara　looked　over　Leonid's　shoulder　and　indicated　something　behind　him。
Leonid　frowned　and　turned　to　see　what　the　Space　Marine　was　pointing　at。　And　grinned。
THE　DOOR　TO　the　Machine　Temple　was　thirty　centimetres　thick　and　composed　of　solid　steel；　but　it　crumpled　like　tinfoil　when　the
eighty…tonne　drilling　rig　slammed　into　it。　The　roof　section　was　torn　free　by　the　low　clearance　of　the　door　as　it　came　screeching
through；　spewing　torn　scraps　of　steel　and　sparks　all　across　the　inner　sanctum　of　the　Machine　Temple。　The　giant　tracked　machine
slewed　around　as　Eshara　lost　control　for　a　second；　the　enormous　rig　smashing　into　a　bank　of　monitors　and　control　panels。　The
amber…lit　chamber　was　filled　with　pulsating　machinery　and　barely　had　the　drilling　rig　skidded　to　a　squealing　halt　than　Leonid；
Eshara　and　the　four　surviving　members　of　his　honour　guard　leapt　from　the　rambling　machine。
Leonid　grunted　in　pain　as　he　landed；　trying　to　make　sense　of　the　scene　before　him。
Magos　Naicin　stood　with　his　head　boboid　structure　topped　with　a　shattered　vat　of　draining　fluid。　In　one
gloved　hand　he　held　his　bronze　facemask　and；　in　the　other；　what　looked　like　a　glistening　slab　of　wet　meat。　He　tossed　it　aside　and
Leonid　was　horrified　to　see　the　slack　features　of　Arch　Magos　Amaethon　staring　up　at　him　from　the　floor。　After　centuries　of
service；　the　organic　remains　of　the　arch　magos　were　finally　dead。
The　bulky　figure　that　had　accompanied　Naicin　stood　atop　the　rhomboid；　its　wide；　misshapen　arms　spread　wide。　Bulging　motion
undulated　beneath　its　robes　as　though　a　collection　of　snakes　writhed　beneath　them。　Even　as　he　watched；　the　robes　split　and　fell
from　its　body；　revealing　a　massive；　iron…black　musculature　that　rippled　in　a　horrific　amalgamation　of　organic　and　biomechanical
components。　Was　this　creature　machine　or　man；　or　some　horrific　symbiosis　of　the　two？
'Naicin！'　shouted　Leonid。　'What　have　you　done？'
The　magos　lifted　his　face　and　Leonid　gasped　in　horror　as　he　saw　Naicin's　true　features；　a　swirling　mass　of　thin；　wormlike　tentacles
that　glistened　and　writhed　together　to　form　the　mass　of　his　head。　A　cluster　of　milky　and　distended　eyes　bulged　in　the　centre　of　his
features；　above　a　sphincter…like　mouth；　ringed　with　needle　teeth。
'Mutant；'　spat　Eshara；　raising　his　pistol。
The　four　Guardsmen　were　transfixed　in　horrified　wonder　at　the　bizarre　sight　before　them。　And　their　perverse　fascination　killed
them。
The　figure　atop　the　rhomboid　raised　its　arms；　its　flesh　writhing　as　they　transformed　into　two　massive…barrelled　weapons。　A　roaring
crescendo　of　fire　erupted　from　the　weapons；　blasting　through　Leonid's　honour　guard　and　disintegrating　them　in　a　heartbeat。　Leonid
once　more　dived　for　cover　behind　the　drilling　rig　as　Eshara　charged　towards　the　giant　figure　at　the　chamber's　centre。
Magos　Naicin　hissed　and　leapt　to　intercept　him；　moving　with　inhuman　speed；　his　arms　whipping　out　and　toothed　proboscis
erupting　from　his　fingertips　to　smash　Eshara　from　his　feet。　Hissing　ichor　splashed　Eshara's　shoulder　guard；　the　ceramite　plates　of
his　armour　rapidly　dissolving　beneath　it。　The　Space　Marine　captain　rolled　beneath　the　questing　mouths　as　Naicin　came　at　him
again；　hissing　acids　spraying　from　his　lashing；　whip…like　hands。
Leonid　took　advantage　of　the　distraction　to　rest　his　pistol　against　the　track　guard　of　the　drilling　rig　and　take　aim　at　the　monstrous
figure　that　had　killed　his　men。
The　gun　arms　had　changed　again；　morphing　into　long；　ribbed　cables　that　waved　like　serpents。　As　he　squinted　d